1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatic bagging systems and particularly to a system for automatically compressing a stack of compressible materials such as disposable diapers and bagging the diapers in a drawstring type plastic bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Packaging techniques for packaging compressible material in containers have included the method of compressing a stack of compressible material and then packing the compressed stack into a carton container. For a discussion of this technique, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,060 issued Feb. 29, 1972 to Philip G. Hammond.
Another technique for packaging compressible material in a container is described in British Pat. No. 1,540,218 issued Feb. 7, 1979 to Edward Alan Lister and Graham Wilson Clarke. This patent discloses a technique for inserting compressible articles into a pre-formed bag by partially opening an edge of the bag with air jets and then pivoting a funnel into the bag. The pivoting of a funnel into a bag which has been partially opened by air appears to be an inefficient procedure for loading compressible items into the bag since the funnels must pivot in and out of the bag within the stream of air. Such action could affect the bag opening operation performed by the jet of air.
A further apparatus for bagging articles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,169 issued Apr. 10, 1979 to Donald R. Zike. There, a automatic bagging machine is described that includes control mechanism that actuates arms to pick up and spread a plastic bag at a pick-up station which grips and maintains the bag open for filling at a filling station. However, this apparatus appears to be for packing commodity in plastic bags; it does not appear to be suitable for packing stacks of compressible material in a plastic bag.